Questions

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

The entry of foreign media has to be ______ by strict rules. Any intention to ______ the country politically or economically or any attempt at cultural ______ in order to make the country a slave to the designs of international powers would not be ______. If the foreign media is keen on making a presence on the Indian soil, respect for the country’s unity and ______ is essential.

cultural ______ in order to make the country.

Read the passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the given four alternatives.

One should consciously engage in activities that will nourish your soul. Just as we nourish the body, we need to nurture the soul to connect to the creative power of the universe and to manifest joy in our lives. Often, we forget to address the soul, lost as we are in a jungle of material and sensual pleasures. But the more you embrace what feeds your soul, the happier you become. So if you want to enjoy the abundance of life, engage in what enriches your soul. Nurturing the soul is all about finding calm amidst chaos. There are a number of practices that empower people towards this end including silent contemplation, various forms of meditation, yoga and tai chi However, the rigor and discipline involved in the pursuit of such practices often seems to discourage people. Add to this, the temptations of the material world that leave little time and motivation for anyone to pursue the spiritual path. Poet Walt Whitman declared: “Whatever satisfies the soul is truth”. The good news is that simple, everyday activities can also nutrify the soul — like spending time in the midst of nature, dancing in the rain or just putting thoughts on paper. Do whatever is calming and pleases you. Creative pursuits are particularly appealing as inside each one of us, there is an artist craving for release and awaiting an opportunity for expression. One of the ways to indulge the artist within is to get started with the practice of any one or more of the creative art forms such as music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction or essay writing.

When you engage in such soul nourishing activities, all thought and energy gets focused toward goal accomplishment. At this point, you will find that even unknown forces of the universe are conniving to assist you in your amateurish but sincere attempts. As you progress, you are motivated to do better. You touch and access a faculty, a part of you that you never knew existed. Your inner artist is unleashed, baring the beauty of your soul that has found a fond medium of expression. For instance, a sculptor’s soul is seen in his artwork; a musician’s in his compositions; an actor’s in his acting, a painter’s in his paintings and so on. It is immaterial whether your effort is an immaculate artwork or just a clumsy attempt by a layperson. The idea is to try, be inspired and to create giving free rein to the mind. As Michelangelo remarked: “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”!

According to the passage, why even our amateurish attempts motivate us?

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

But representatives have cynically chosen to look the other _________________ when matters of justice are involved. They seem to have only a will to power; to be part of a new ___________________ elite. _________________ they forget that the history of struggle is the future of struggle. Maoism is one extreme ____________________ struggle ___________________ corrupt appropriative and greedy elites; there are others.

look the other _________________ when matters of justice are involved.

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.

A picture paints a thousand words

In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives.

The English language is ___________ complex in character that it can scarcely be learned by rule, and can __________ be mastered by the study of such idioms and phrases as are provided in this book; but just as care must be taken to place every accent or stress _________ the proper syllable in the ______________ of every word it contains, so must the stress or emphasis be placed on the proper word in ___________ sentence spoken.

accent or stress _________ the proper

A sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect Speech. Out of the four given alternatives, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct Speech.

The doctor said to us, “Where are you going?”

In the following question, some part of the sentence may have errors. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option. If a sentence is free from error, select 'No Error'.

He cooked the (1)/ dinner and (2)/ than put the radio on. (3)/ No error (4)

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which will improve the bracketed part of the sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select "no improvement".

This stove (had) a flat kerosene tank at the bottom.